


Love Island: Summer of Love

by LoveIsland



Category: Love Island (Video Game)
Genre: Drama & Romance, Love at First Sight, Multi, Reality TV, Romance, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-29
Updated: 2019-09-05
Packaged: 2020-09-29 12:49:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 11,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20436317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoveIsland/pseuds/LoveIsland
Summary: When Mina auditioned for the hit reality TV show Love Island, she thought she knew what she was getting into. A chance to find somebody to hook up with and a chance to gain international fame to promote her career as a musician, it seemed like a no risk all reward scenario until she stepped foot in the villa. Will Mina stick to her plan of gaining fame and fortune, or will she throw it all away for a chance at true love?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> so i'm basically rewriting the entirety of season 2 because between plot holes, bad writing, glitches and OOC behaviour i am fueled by spite

**Chapter 1: Summer Starts Here**

It was strange to see the Villa in person. She was so used to seeing it on a 2D television screen that seeing it right in front of her felt bizarre. She’d get used to it eventually, she just had to ride out the odd feeling. She was here with a plan – and that plan was to get her name out there. She’d wanted to be a successful musician since she was ten years old, and from then on, she worked hard to achieve her dreams. The music industry, however, was unforgiving. If you didn’t have connections or serious money, then it was like swimming against the tide. Love Island was her chance to get her name and music out there, to hopefully build an audience and platform for herself. She didn’t come here to find ‘love’ – but she wouldn’t object to having some fun all summer. She also wouldn’t consider anybody a fool for coming in here with the intent on finding true love either – it was called _Love Island_ after all.

A camera pointed towards her face while she was lost in thought, zooming in close. Mina noticed it and smiled awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head. She was still getting used to being filmed, it was different than performing live on stage. The only thing in her face when she performed live were lights. The camera man cleared his throat, waiting for her to say something. Whenever someone came to the Villa on television, they always had something interesting to say, or acted outrageous in some form. Mina took a deep breath and put on her performer face, smiling and gasping. She made a quip about how big and luxurious it was, and how she could see herself in a house like this in the future. The camera man smiled and gave a thumbs up, indicating that’s exactly the type of thing that the producers wanted. It felt fake, but most of this show was fake. The only thing real in this place was the people. Everything else was constructed for entertainment.

The sound of another jeep pulling up behind Mina turned her head. Another girl was arriving. She hadn’t even had the chance to go inside and put her luggage away yet! She took another deep breath, heels clicking on the stone pavement as she walked. She stood on the edge, not wanting to step back on to the gravel of the driveway – it was enough effort walking to and from the jeep in heels, she wasn’t doing it again unless she absolutely had to. A woman was standing through the sunroof of the jeep, waving and calling out as the car came to a stop. The woman stepped out, long braids swinging with her every step.

“Hi babe, I’m Hope – “The woman was cut off as she stumbled in the gravel. Her arm reached out for something to grab to stabilise herself. Mina dropped the bag she was holding and grabbed her outstretched arm, steadying them both.

“Wow, that was close! If you didn’t drop your bags to help me, I’d have face planted in the dirt. Or rather, gravel.” Hope smiled and laughed. Mina walked her carefully over to the pavement, kicking her bags out of the way.

“That would have been a funny introduction if you _did_ face plant.” Mina laughed, letting go of Hope now that she was on concrete. “I certainly wouldn’t forget that – and I doubt everyone who will be watching us would either. My name is Mina, a pleasure to meet you.” Hope laughed again, slapping Mina on the back. Her hands were soft._ I should really ask her what lotion she uses_.

“We should head into the Villa. If they know what’s good for them, they’ll have bottles of champagne on ice everywhere. Or somewhere, at the very least.” Hope picked up some of her bags that the crewman who drove her here placed beside them. Mina looked at her own bags, frowning. They couldn’t possibly carry everything they’ve brought into the villa. Mina had brought her guitar, her makeup, as many outfits as she could fit in her bags. Hope had brought almost the same number of bags, if not more.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1: Summer Starts Here**

“Just leave the heavier items besides the door, we’ll have some of the crew take them inside.” The cameraman said, noticing Mina’s hesitation. She thanked him, grabbing some of her lightest bags and following Hope into the villa. What she saw on TV did not due the Villa justice. It was large, spacey and beautifully decorated. Tropical artwork and themes were scattered everywhere, it was hard to turn a corner without seeing something that reminded her of the Caribbean and Spain mixed into one. Hope walked down the corridor, making a bee line for the bedroom. Mina followed her, staring at the large aquarium that was built into the end part of the corridor that lead towards the kitchen and lounge room. It was filled with exotic fish that she’d never seen before, and it was _huge_. She walked up to it, blue glow from the lights reflecting on her face. She watched the fish swim, admiring mesmerised by their exotic colouring. She was brought out of her trance by the sound of a large ‘pop’.

“I found some bubbly!” Hope poked her head around the corner, eyes searching for Mina. When she found her, Hope walked towards her, bottle in hand. “Have you managed to find the kitchen? We could use some glasses, unless you want to do it the old-fashioned way.”

“I think champagne is a little too pricey to be drinking from the bottle.”

“Maybe, but if we can’t find any, I’m afraid we’re going to have to go back to our caveman roots.” Mina laughed. Hope seemed like a good person from the minimal interactions they’d had together. She didn’t know when the others were going to show up, last time she’d watched Love Island, it was two girls for a few moments, then others came in one by one. That was all they showed on TV, however. She didn’t know how long it would be them in the Villa until the others arrived, experiencing it and watching it on television were two completely different concepts. Mina dropped her bags off in the bedroom against a wall. It seemed silly to choose a bed already when they haven’t even met the boys yet.

She walked out to the kitchen. Hope was opening and shutting cupboards, trying to find some glasses. She was careful in her crusade, everything she disturbed she put back into place. Eventually she found some champagne glasses, turning around and placing them on the island breakfast bar. She poured the champagne into the glasses, handing one to Mina.  
  
“Cheers to an amazing summer! Filled with fit boys and finding love, while getting an all-expenses paid vacation for free.” Mina clinked her glass against Hope’s, laughing at her speech. She was clever with words, and despite being only dressed in a bikini and a see-through wrap, she gave Mina the impression that she was someone who was put together. As they drank, Mina was able to get a good look at Hope. She was taller than Mina was, and thinner too. She could model if she wished, her physique reminded her of Calvin Kline underwear adds on Billboards in the city. Her makeup and colour choice in clothing was colourful and suited her extremely well, and the way she was made up gave the appearance that it was effortless to look like she did. A sudden loud crash and voices startled them both.

“I’ll go and see who it is.” Mina said, putting her glass down. She walked carefully over the tiled floors, making sure not to slip in her heels. She peaked out into the hallway, seeing two other girls at the doorway. One of them had dropped their bags, everything spilling out over the white floor. “New people!” Mina called back to Hope, rushing over to help the new girls clean up.

“Oh, thank you! I dropped my bag because I was so excited to be here.” The girl with long, red hair said. Her voice was high pitched and almost sickly sweet, it reminded Mina of a YouTuber she used to watch when she was a teenager, but this woman couldn’t possibly be her – they looked nothing alike.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 1: Summer Starts Here**

“It’s not a problem. My name is Mina, by the way.” She looked to the other woman who was covered in tattoos. They were beautiful works of art and suited her quite well. Mina felt her small, simple tattoo of the moon cycle on the back of her neck was inadequate compared to hers.

“I’m Hannah!” The redhead said cheerfully, pulling Mina into a hug. She didn’t have time to stop her or pull away. _I guess Hannah is the overly affectionate sort. _

“And I’m Lottie.” The other girl said, giving Mina a wicked smile. She opened her arms and asked to hug her, which Mina obliged. She’d feel bad if she denied her since she had hugged Hannah, although it wasn’t a hug by choice.

“More girls? How exciting!” Hope announced, hurrying over to them. She was careful not to slip on the tiles in her heels. “One, two, three, four.. I think we’re waiting on one more and then we can get this show on the road.” Hope was right, there was usually five girls at the beginning of the show, and then more were added.

“I wonder when the last girl is going to get here.” Mina asked, helping Hannah move her bags into the bedroom. Lottie carried her own, placing them in a pile next to a bed. Hannah was more brazen in placing her bags, throwing them on the bed she agonizingly selected would be hers despite the possibility that she wouldn’t get the bed to begin with. They moved to the kitchen, finding more glasses for the other two girls.

“Oh, bubbly!” Hannah exclaimed, taking the glass that Hope offered. She sat on a bar stool, daintily crossing her legs. She was elegant, in a clumsy sort of way. Lottie sat down beside her as well, sipping her glass casually. The group made idle chatter, discussing what they did in the real world. Hope was a sales rep from London for a toy company she couldn’t name for liability reasons – or so she said. Lottie was a makeup artist from Melbourne – an occupation which Lottie insisted is not the idle way to meet guys. Hannah, as it turns out, was a social media assistant. For what company, nobody knew – either Hannah didn’t want to name them, or she couldn’t. Mina told them she was a musician, which none of them seemed surprised. She didn’t know whether to be flattered or not.

“So, what are you all looking for in a man?” Mina asked, directing the conversation

“I don’t know about you ladies, but I’m looking for someone who is down to earth and hard working.” Everybody turned around at the sound of a new voice. A woman in a black bikini walked through the doorway, hips swaying with every movement. They’d been so lost in their discussions that they didn’t hear a new woman entering the villa. “I’m Marisol, by the way.”

“I want a man who’s a romantic,” Hannah said, sighing dreamily. “I want to find my own Prince Charming, or Mr. Darcy.”

“I’m sure you’ll find your Prince Charming in here, Hannah.” Mina said, reassuring her. Marisol looked at Mina, raising an eyebrow before pushing her glasses further up on her face. “It’s nice to meet you Marisol. My name is Mina.”  
  
“Marisol is a pretty name.” Hope said. The others agreed, it was a beautiful sounding name. “I prefer the strong, silent types. I swear, if there’s a boy like that here then he’s mine.” Lottie’s face scrunched up at Hope’s comment.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 1: Summer Starts Here**

“I don’t think we should mug off each other in pursuit of some guy.” Lottie said, standing from her seat. “Finding love is important, but so is respecting one another.”

“I know it’s important to respect each other, but we still have to play a game to win.” Hope had a point. It was the reason they were all here after all, to find love on Love Island. There would be twelve people at any given time living together, it would be impossible to not step on each other’s toes. They would _literally_ be sharing a bedroom; patience would be tested. Friendships would be made and broken. _Like the entirety of high school_, Mina thought.

“I agree,” Marisol interjected. “I don’t think we should have to sacrifice what we want for the sake of _‘Girl Code.’_” Lottie looked like she was ready to argue her point further when somebody’s phone went off. People pulled their phones out one by one, checking to see if it was theirs.

“Guys, I got the text!” Lottie announced.

“Oh my Gosh!” Hannah said, excitedly jumping up from her seat. All the girls gathered around Lottie, forming a circle. Lottie forced them all to step back one pace before she would read the text, citing need for her _‘personal space.’_  
  
“Here we go, ladies!” Hope smirked. Mina looked at her, raising an eyebrow. In that moment, Hope looked like she had her entire game plan laid out in front of her. There was something unsettling about her expression, but Mina ignored her worries when Lottie started reading the message out loud.

_“Girls, it’s time to meet the boys! There’s five sexy men waiting to meet you on the lawn. You’ll take it in turns to make an entrance and pick a boy.”_ Mina frowned to herself, tapping her foot. Now that they mentioned it, she was thinking about it. How was she going to make an entrance? What _was_ a good entrance? Should she try and be sexy? Should she play it cute and flirty? Mina stopped herself, breathing calmly. She was just overthinking it now, if she thought anymore on it, it would be the end of her.

“_Don’t relax once you’ve coupled up! The boys all stay up for grabs until the last girl has chosen. Will the next girl steal your hunk and put you on the bench? #picknmix #standbyyourman” _Lottie finished, putting her phone down. The group talked all at once, everybody’s voices overlapped each other. It was so loud and chaotic that it reminded Mina of the audience in one of the regular bars she played at.

Mina’s phone vibrated and made a loud noise. The other girls hushed, staring at with anticipation.

“The text says I’m first up.” She bit her lip, frowning. She didn’t want to be first – that left her completely open for another girl to steal the person she’d chosen. She knew somebody had to go first, but truth be told, she was hoping it would be somebody else. Each girl gathered around, giving her a hug of support. Mina took a deep breath, making sure her bikini looked in order before walking out to the lawn.

Five men stood before Mina, all in a neat line. They reminded her of dolls, so perfect in almost every way possible. She continued walking until she was only a metre from them, holding her phone in her hand. Her gaze drifted down the line, each man was looking at her differently. Some were gazing at her like she was a piece of meat – something that she, truthfully, expected. Others were gazing at her with intrigue and appreciation. Two men stood out to her – One was muscular, toned and tall. Her eyes locked with his and he offered her a small smile, but she couldn’t read his expression. His eyes were guarded – it made Mina even more curious about him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 1: Summer Starts Here**

The next man wasn’t as tall or as muscular as the first, but he was toned and had freckles that adorned his face and body. His face seemed to permanently rest in a smirk, and his eyes were filled with mischief. He caught her gazing at him and offered her a cheesy wink, waving at her. Mina blushed and rubbed the back of her head. _Oops, he caught me gawking._ She turned her attention back to the start of the line.

“Can I get your names, age and a fun fact about you?” Mina asked, giving them all a lovely smile. It was something to break the ice, but it’d also be a good opportunity to get an idea of what kind of person they were.

“I’m Gary.” The first man in line said, offering her a dazzling smile. His blonde hair shone in the sun, almost like a halo around his head. “I’m 23, a crane operator from Chatham and my favourite food is my nan’s roast dinner.” _Very sweet, albeit a bit old-fashioned._ Gary flexed his biceps, offering her another smile. She smiled back politely, turning her attention to the next man in line.

“Hi, I’m Noah.” The muscular, toned and tall man she had her eyes on from the start finally had a name. He was well spoken and polite. He smiled again but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m 25, and a librarian from Romford.” He didn’t say anything else. The next man started talking, but before she gave him her full attention she mouthed _‘hi’_ at Noah. He smiled, and this time it _did_ reach his eyes.

“Hi beautiful.” He oozed with charm, almost obnoxiously so. “I’m Rocco. I’m 21 from Belfast, I own a ‘Cocktails and Cronuts food van and my tinder profile picture is me hugging a lion cub.” Rocco ran his fingers through his curly hair, doing his best to give her a ‘look.’ Mina just smiled awkwardly in response.

“Wait, really?”

“If you pick me, I’ll let you see it.” Some of the men snickered at that comment. Mina’s cheeks tinged red and she coughed. His accent was nice, Irish and Scottish accents were some of her favourite, but she could drown in his charm. It wasn’t something she was into personally. Maybe he would be a good match for somebody else.

“I’m Ibrahim.” An unusual name, it sounded nice though. “I’m 22 from Birmingham. I’m a professional golfer and I.. uh..” He paused, looking sheepish. “I was _‘Mr. June’_ in this year’s _‘Men of Golf’_ calendar.” Some of the boys whistled, making lewd noises and laughing amongst themselves. Ibrahim cleared his throat, shuffling awkwardly in his spot. So, he was a professional athlete? That explained the peak physical condition he was in. Both him and Gary were tied for the most impressive bodies in the line-up so far if one was to judge by muscles alone.

“Girl, you’re like winning all four major golf tournaments in a year..” Ibrahim said confidently, giving Mina his best smouldering look. “Because you’re a grand slam!” The boys laughed again, but more so at him than his poor attempt at a pickup line. Mina laughed politely, but she wasn’t into it or him. He seemed nice, just awkward and uncertain of himself.

There was only one man left now. He gave Mina a warm, big smile as he winked at her. The freckles scattered across his face stood out even more when he smiled. _Very cute._

“Hey gorgeous,” his voice had a thick Scottish accent. It was like butter for her ears – smooth and pleasant. “I’m Bobby. I’m 24 from Glasgow, I work as a hospital caterer and I brought my own apron.” Bobby was particularly proud of his fun fact. Mina laughed and smiled at him, which made him grin in return.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 1: Summer Starts Here**

“Saving the best ‘til last, were you? Guess I’m the sweet dessert at the end of the main course of beefcake.” Mina burst out laughing, her face feeling tight from how much she smiled.

“Are you saying you’re sweeter than all these other guys?”

“Maybe you should pick me and find out.” Mina was impressed. He wasn’t just funny; he was subtly smooth too. It was way less overbearing than Rocco’s act, and it was nice to have someone who was genuinely funny to laugh at. He reminded her a little of Tim from the first season of Love Island – except he was taller and more handsome. _In her opinion, anyway._

Her phone beeped. She opened the text message and read it out loud for all of them.

_“Mina, now that you’ve met the boys, it’s time to find out what they think of you. Please ask the boys to step forward if they fancy you.”_

Gary stepped forward first, looking proud of himself. Rocco was next, then Ibrahim, then finally Bobby. Noah stayed back, locking eyes with her. He seemed hesitant – like he wanted to step forward but just couldn’t bring himself to do it. Perhaps he was shy, he seemed awfully quiet and reserved from the very brief conversation that Mina had with him. She was a little hurt that he didn’t step forward, her face falling as she looked at him. Noah’s expression softened and he mouthed _“I’m sorry.”_ That made her smile, though it was fleeting.

She had a choice to make now, and she couldn’t dally. There were four other girls who needed to choose, and whoever she chose might just be stolen from her. She liked Bobby – he was funny and charming, and his smile was contagious. She also liked Noah, there was some unspoken spark between them that she couldn’t ignore. The way he looked at her made her melt, and she could see him visibly soften when she spoke to him.

“This is a hard choice.” She tapped her finger against her lip. She didn’t want to be mean in her rejection of anyone – she had to let them down gently. “I think all of you are very fit and interesting, but I’m going to choose Noah.” Noah looked surprised, but happy. He grinned and his cheeks flushed as Mina made her way to stand beside him. Bobby glanced over her, and though he was smiling, his eyes looked sad. She sent him an apologetic look, it was a hard choice between him and Noah but at this stage she was willing to choose Noah over him.

Noah cleared his throat, looking down at her. She was acutely aware of how tiny she was compared to him – she only came up to just above his shoulder. She gazed up at him and smiled, moving closer. His hand sought hers, gripping it tightly. His palm was warm and large, covering her hand almost entirely.

“I’m glad you picked me.” He whispered to her. Lottie was the next girl out. She stood in front of them and quizzed each man far more than Mina had. She had to give it to Lottie, she was thorough.

“I am too. I was a little hurt you didn’t step forward, though.”

“I wanted to, but I didn’t think I compared to these other guys.” Mina was right about him – he was shy and unsure of himself. It made her heart bleed for him. She gripped his hand tighter, leaning against his arm, reassuring him in her choice.

“I like you, and I think there’s something between us.” She mumbled. Lottie made a comment about how she liked how Noah looked, but neither Mina nor Noah were listening. They were in their own little world where it was just the two of them standing there on the lawn in the warm sunlight. Noah leaned down, his mouth grazing her ear.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 1: Summer Starts Here**

“I think there’s something here too.” He whispered. Her heart raced as she placed a hand on his chest, feeling his muscles. He was shy, but once he got comfortable, he really was _something._ Lottie was disappointed that only Bobby had hesitantly stepped forward when she asked who fancied her and ended up choosing Rocco as her partner. She made a show of stating that she wouldn’t be the kind of girl to steal someone’s man because she _‘put the girls first’._ It was a nice gesture, but Mina still had her doubts about sacrificing her own desires for the benefit of someone else in a competition.

Marisol was next. She took her time, but ultimately it came down between Ibrahim and Gary. Ibrahim stepped forward immediately, and Marisol decided upon him instantly. She liked how bold and confident he was, which was a completely different experience to the first time Mina met him. She hoped Ibrahim’s awkward jokes and insecurity was just a one-off thing for Marisol’s sake.

“Seems kind of unfair that you know a lot about me, and I know nothing about you.” Noah said, giving Mina a cheeky wink. “I know your name – but not much else. What do you do for a living?”

“I’m a musician. A singer for the most part, though I play guitar and piano as well.” Noah seemed genuinely interested in what she did. It made her feel good about her choice.

“A singer? That’s cool. You should sing for me sometime.”

“Maybe if you’re lucky.” Noah chuckled at that. They were getting along so well; Mina was excited to see what the next few days would be like. She was worried about going first but things were going fine so far. Hope was next to make her selection. She strode confidently out of the villa, showing her long legs off. She stopped in front of the line, looking around at all the couples.

“You all look so cute in your couples!” She said, smiling at everyone. “I’m not saying this to be mean, but I’m here to meet the right person. I may not be the first one to the party – “Hope glanced at Mina and Noah, smirking. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going to be stuck with the leftovers! What’s your name, handsome?” She walked straight over to Noah, hands on her hips.

“Noah.”

“Well, Noah, if you aren’t just the hottest thing, I’ve ever laid eyes on.” Noah stiffened. His face frowned; his grip tightened in Mina’s hand. “I could just melt under your gaze.” Things weren’t looking so good now. It was obvious Hope was going to choose Noah – stealing him from her. She wasn’t checking out any of the other men. Mina was caught off guard despite sharing common ground with Hope about self-sacrificing for others in this competition.

“The boy I want to couple up with is – “Hope seemed to drag on the announcement, whether to be cruel or for dramatic effect for the cameras Mina didn’t know, “Noah.” Mina reluctantly left Noah’s side, standing adjacent of everyone. She was benched now, and she had to wait until Hannah chose to be coupled up with the last remaining man. Noah looked at her as Hope took Mina’s place, a woeful expression on his face. He kissed Hope’s cheek when she leaned in to kiss his, but his eyes never left Mina’s.

Hannah came after Hope, squealing as she saw the line-up of men. The women standing next to them didn’t seem to bother her, but it did bother Hope seeing Hannah come out. _Not even hours into this competition and she was already acting possessive over Noah._

“I’m literally speechless. Look at all these cute guys!” Hannah’s long red braid swayed as she excitedly ran up to the men, getting a closer look at them. “It’s like the first time I went to the stable to pick out a pony!”


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 1: Summer Starts Here**

“Except you need to pick a stallion this time, babes.” Lottie interjected, giving Hannah a supportive smile. She looked over at Hope and Noah and gave Hope a dirty look – _looks like somebody has already gotten on Lottie’s bad side._

“I’m going to ask all the boys that fancy me to step forward.” Hannah was diving into it. She didn’t even bother to ask the boys any information about themselves. Mina thought it was foolish, but she wouldn’t comment on how someone wanted to play the game. Moments passed and no man stepped forward, they all hung back looking occupied with nothing. Noah still gazed in her direction with Hope blissfully unaware.

“Come on boys, she’s gorgeous. Look at her!” Lottie encouraged, looking around. Rocco moved forward but was quickly stopped by Lottie’s arm. _“I didn’t mean you.”_ Eventually Gary stepped forward with a grin upon his face.

“You are pretty fit.” Gary said, looking Hannah over. “I just didn’t know if I would be your type.”

“Sweetheart, right now you’re totally my knight in shining armour!”

“I’m Gary.”

“Right, then I choose to couple up with Gary!” Hannah skipped over to him, putting her arms around his waist and whispering in his ear. Gary had a smile on his face, but to Mina, he looked extremely unsure of his decision. _Maybe it will be better than it looks._

“Is that it then? Are we all sorted?” Gary looked around at the couples, counting. Hannah looked at Mina nervously, biting her bottom lip.

“Obviously not. Mina is benched right now because of _someone._” Lottie seethed, sending a scathing look Hope’s way. Hope scowled back at her and didn’t dignify Lottie with a response. Noah looked distress, gazing at Mina with a hopeless expression in his eyes. There was only one man left, and luckily for Mina, it was her second choice.

“It’s okay,” Mina said, looking at Bobby. “There’s only one guy for me right now. And that’s Bobby.” Mina walked over and took her place beside him. He beamed, putting an arm around her shoulders. Noah glanced in their direction, frowning thinly.

“Isn’t there usually more than five people?” Hannah asked, looking around anxiously. “There’s five girls and five boys. We’re evenly matched.”  
  
“I wouldn’t worry about it, mate.” Gary dismissed Hannah’s worry with a wave of his hand.

“You’re calling me _mate?_”

“Sorry mate.” Gary’s reply earned him an irritated glance from Hannah. “Anyway, I don’t reckon there’s going to be anybody else. For now.” Gary gestured to everybody, moving into the centre of them.

“We’re all here, we’re in our couples, but we still haven’t really met each other yet.”

“Exactly.” Marisol chimed in. She looked him in the eyes and gave him a mischievous grin, earning a smile from Gary.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 1: Summer Starts Here**

“Let’s crack on!” Gary yelled enthusiastically. All the islanders started to migrate to the outside lounge area, talking amongst themselves. Mina tried to talk to Noah some more, but Hope was glued to his hips. She sent untrusting glances towards Mina every time she got close to Noah; it would be impossible. Mina found out that Marisol was a lawyer – or rather, law student, from Portsmouth. Gary really loved his nan, and almost every conversation he partook in he mentioned her in one way or another. Noah remained silent, listening and occasionally interjecting his thoughts, but he was overshadowed by Hope. Hannah talked about her books, which Mina enjoyed. She liked reading and it appeared her and Hannah had similar tastes in fiction. Jane Austen, Amanda Quick and other authors were among their mutual favourites.

Mina separated herself from the group, going to sit by the pool. She dipped her legs into the water, the sound of Gary popping a champagne bottle and cheers echoed in the background. She sighed, staring down at her reflection. She enjoyed socialising, and she was enjoying talking to everybody, but she still felt a little sad over the first coupling. In any competition, there would be losers, winners and silver runners-up’s but she didn’t think she would be shafted so soon.

She squinted at the water, seeing somebody moving behind her. She turned her head around and was greeted by the sight of Bobby with two flutes of champagne. He sat down beside her, dropping his legs into the water beside hers, so close that their knees touched.

“Thought you could use a drink, lass.” Bobby handed her a glass, clinking both together when she took it. “It’s been an exciting first day – I was expecting there to be fireworks with how exciting it was!” Mina laughed, taking a sip of her drink.

“Wasn’t the best start for me, I was benched.” Bobby held his champagne in one hand, drawing circles in the pool water with the other.  
  
“I know I wasn’t exactly your first choice – “Mina went to speak, but Bobby hushed her. “But I’m really glad we ended up together. I don’t think I would rather be with anyone else at this stage.” Mina felt her heart flutter, causing her to break out into a grin.  
  
“Have you seen everybody else? You blow them out of the water! You’re a total catch, and I’m the tasty bait.”  
  
“You’re the bait? Wouldn’t you be the fisherman?”  
  
“And resist the chance of being nibbled by you? I think not.” Mina laughed again. He was funny, but sweet at the same time. She put her glass down beside her, taking his hand in hers. He had nice hands, they were large – long fingers, soft skin. It was hard to believe he worked in a kitchen, he had no scars or anything on his perfect hands. Bobby leaned in and so did Mina until their foreheads were touching. He cupped her cheek with his hand, stroking her skin with his thumb. Mina almost forgot herself in that moment, but she quickly caught herself and pulled back. It was far too early to be almost kissing someone. It’d only been a few hours!

“I.. umm.” Mina mumbled, cheeks turning red. “We should get back to the others, otherwise they’ll start wondering why we’re being so anti-social.”

“I thought you were going to say, ‘until they wonder where we went’, and I was going to say, ‘do you really think they’re _that_ blind?” Bobby and Mina both laughed. He got up first, extending a hand and hoisting her up from the side of the pool. As they walked over to the others, Mina was feeling excited about what was to come with her and Bobby.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 2: Truth or Dare?**

“So, ten hotties inside a villa for the entire summer. Sounds like the beginning of a horror movie.”

“No way, Lottie! I was thinking it was more glamorous than that. It’s like the start of a classic romance novel!” Hannah said. A horror movie or a romance novel, neither of them seemed enticing to Mina. Horror movies meant, well, horror. And romance novels meant cheesy one-liners and a preposterous happily ever after. She enjoyed both, but she knew it was just a fantasy – none of that would ever work in the real world.

“I think it’s more like a teenage drama personally,” Hope said, sipping on her champagne. She laid back against the sun lounge, enjoying the heat. “Except we’re all in our twenties and there’s no teachers.” The girls nodded, agreeing with hope. Mina wrinkled her nose; it was more accurate than Lottie and Hannah’s suggestions she supposed.

“So, we’re all here in the villa,” Ibrahim said, looking around at everybody. “What do we do now?”  
  
“We lie back with drinks and enjoy the sunshine, of course.” Gary got up, shaking his empty glass of champagne. He walked to the table on the lawn, grabbing another bottle that was cooling in a bucket of ice. He fiddled around with the cork until it let out a satisfying pop, landing somewhere in the grass.  
  
“Bit fancier than I’m used to, but at least I made it work.” Rocco followed Gary, telling the beginnings of a story from his youth. Something about a tiny cocktail bar and ten other people, but he was interrupted by Gary. “Sounds like an interesting story mate, but do you want one or not?” Rocco stopped talking and nodded, giving Gary a hand with pouring drinks.

“Why don’t the men give us a refill?” Hope suggested, looking at the boys who remained at the sun lounges.

“Making the boys work for it, I love it.” Lottie agreed. Ibrahim, Noah and Bobby shrugged at each other and walked off towards Gary and Rocco, taking the girl’s empty glasses with them. Bobby stopped halfway, looking back over his shoulder.

“You want to come help us, Mina?” He asked, giving her a wicked smile. Mina thought about it but decided against it. She wanted to get a better idea on where the other girl’s heads were at – to gouge the competition and see who her biggest threat was. It was still early days yet, but it seemed like Hope would be her biggest concern so far.

“Thanks Bobby, but I think I’ll make you work for what I’ve got to offer.” The girls murmured with approval and Bobby laughed, giving her a wink. He walked over to the boys, who slapped him on the back and nudged him with encouragement. Mina took one of the free sun loungers, laying back and adjusting her bikini. She’d be working on her tan a lot in here, thank God she was prepared and brought lotion and sunscreen.

“Didn’t want to go with Bobby?” Hope asked.

“Nah, I want to goss since we’ve met all the boys now. “Mina said, leaning on her side to face the others.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 2: Truth or Dare?**

“Yes! That’s want I want to talk about too.” Marisol said excitedly. She sat up straight in her lounger, urging the other girls to form a circle around her and Mina. “Dish the dirt girls, how are we feeling now that we’re in couples?”

“I feel totally overwhelmed.” Hannah said, sighing and dramatically sitting herself down beside Lottie. “I thought I’d love coming in here and being in a couple straight away – but I honestly don’t know if Gary is right for me. I mean sure, he’s rugged and handsome but – “She trailed off, shrugging her shoulders. “What else _is _there?”

“Maybe he has some hidden depths or something.” Mina proposed. She pushed some of her long, golden curls out of her eyes, tucking it behind her ear. “Like maybe he really enjoys poetry, or maybe he loves volunteering.”

“Do you think so?”

“Yeah, I think we should wait and see what he’s like when we get to know him better.”

“Do you think he actually has any hidden depths, or is he the kind of bloke who’s into rugby as well as football?” Lottie said, looking at her perfectly manicured stiletto-shaped nails. “I mean, he’d probably at least get you a pint or something.”

“I’d hope so at the least!” Hannah frowned. “Or maybe a glass of wine. I’m more of a wine person, personally.” She pulled her long braid over her shoulder, playing with it gently. “Wait... have any of you dated guys who wouldn’t even buy you a drink?”

“Oh my, darling.” Hope said in a sympathetic tone. “You’ve got _so_ much to learn.” She grabbed her sunglasses that were hanging on the front of her bikini, slipping them on her face. “I seem to always end up with guys that are like, allergic to spending money. It’s great if you’re planning a future but live a little for Christ sake.”

“I don’t think it’s about how much money they spend,” Mina said. “I don’t want fancy things... well not all the time.” She grinned at herself. She was human after-all – sometimes fancy, expensive things were what she wanted. Like makeup, or a new recording mic. “But I do want to feel like I’m worth their time and effort.”

“I can’t imagine dating a guy who didn’t treat me like a princess” Hannah sighed. “I love presents and going out on romantic dates.”

“To be fair, I’ve dated cheap boys and rich men who wanted to impress me. They’re both as bad as each other.” Hope fanned herself with her hand as she spoke. “You want someone with a kind heart, not someone who puts you on a pedestal.” Mina thought it was contradictory to what she was saying earlier. Hope gave the impression that money was of some importance to her, but Mina chose to ignore it.

“I’d rather have someone smart enough to tell me when I’m wrong. Someone I can learn from, wouldn’t you?” Marisol asked the group. Having the confidence to tell their partner they’re wrong is essential in a relationship – you wouldn’t want to be with someone who you couldn’t tell was wrong. That wasn’t exclusive to just intelligent people, however.

“I don’t know, I think I’d rather someone I knew was a good person regardless of their intelligence.” Mina said. “Being able to tell your partner they’re wrong or doing something you don’t like isn’t exclusive to intelligence.” Marisol’s face soured at her comment.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 2: Truth or Dare?**

“That’s right, you’ve got to be able to trust them even if it’s hard.” Hope approved, nodding her head.

“’Trust’ is something we say when we’re not sure of something.” Marisol’s tone was cold and had little emotion to it. _Must be her lawyer voice._ “It is not a substitute for knowledge.”

“Well, I’m glad you’ve all talked this out, but I’m going to be the one to say it..” Lottie said, a smirk spreading across her face. “ I’ve been totally going by body until now. I like hot guys, and I’m not afraid of admitting that.” Marisol shushed Lottie, waving her hand.  
  
“Shh Lottie! They’re coming back.” Mina looked over and was greeted with the sight of the boys coming back over with the drinks. Noah handed the drinks around, when he got to Mina, they made eye contact. He quickly handed her the drink, cheeks flushing and looking away. He turned his full attention back to Hope, sitting down beside her. Nobody beyond Mina noticed the look he gave her.

“Cheers, everyone!” Gary announced, raising his glass. The others raised their glasses with him. “Welcome to Love Island!” They cheered and clinked their glasses, a small moment of silence followed as everyone sipped their drinks. Mina loved champagne; it was a rare treat to drink stuff this good. She’d only drank it at weddings and engagements up until this point.

“I’m never going to understand why people like this stuff.” Gary said. Despite his apparent objection, he still finished his entire glass.  
  
“I’m sorry, what?” Rocco said, confused.  
  
“Can’t go wrong with a little Cheeky V, you get me?” Gary said, putting his glass down. “They used to do two-for-one pitchers of that down at my local on Fridays.” Marisol leaned in, clearly interested in what Gary was saying. Mina looked at her and raised her eyebrow – she assumed this kind of conversation would be beneath her with how she spoke earlier on. She was certainly more complex than Mina initially assumed.

“What a revelation.” Marisol said, winking at Gary. “I can’t wait to see what else we’re going to find out about each other.” The sound of a loud beep interrupted them. Gary checked his phone, face lighting up.

“It’s me! Guys, I got a text!” Gary stood up, reading out the text message. _“Islanders, it’s time to find out who’s hot under the collar and who’s playing it cool.”_ He made a suggestive expression at everyone, laughing. _“Head over to the firepit to play a game of Truth or Dare.”_

“This is totally my game, you guys.” Hope said, leaping up from her seat. “Let’s go!” She headed over to the firepit, leading all the others. When they got to the firepit, there were two stacks of cards set out by the firepit. One was coloured blue and labelled “Truth”, the other was coloured red and labelled “Dare”.

“Woah, we’ve got the cards and everything.” Bobby said, strolling over to the red pile. “Serious truth or dare business!”

“This is new.” Rocco said, taking his seat, He picked up one of the cards, frowning. “I thought we’d play spin the bottle and then ask each other questions we made up or something.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 2: Truth or Dare?**

“I don’t even want to think about the kind of questions you’d ask, Rocco.” Lottie rolled her eyes, taking her seat beside him. She grabbed the card off him, placing it at the bottom of the deck. Rocco grinned and winked at her, tapping his lips.

“Okay, is everybody ready?” Hope waited until everybody took their seats, standing in the middle of the circle. She made herself referee of the game, and the person who went first. “Let’s crack on!”  
  
“I guess she’s going first...” Lottie whispered in Mina’s ear.

“Somebody had to go first. “Mina offered. It was true, somebody did indeed have to go first – and Hope seemed to naturally take leadership. Mina didn’t mind and didn’t really have any ill feelings towards her, even though Hope ruined her couple with Noah within the first five minutes of the game. It just meant Mina had to keep a close eye on her because she was fierce competition for winning this thing.

“Okay, I choose... dare!” Hope proclaimed, grinning. She grabbed the top card from the ‘dare’ pile, flipping it over. _“Give a foot massage to one of the islanders.”_

“Wow! Getting right in there.” Bobby commented.  
  
“Ugh, I don’t think I could touch somebody’s feet.” Hannah said, making a disgusted face. “I’m definitely choosing truth when it’s my turn.”

“And miss out on all the fun?” Bobby teased, gently nudging her with his elbow. “Who know, ‘suck on someone’s toes could be next.”  
  
“Gross, Bobby!” Mine agreed with Hannah. That was gross, but it still made her laugh. Bobby grinned at Mina’s laugh, eyes lighting up. It almost seemed like he lived to make her smile.

“Okay, well I think it’s time for Noah to come out of his shell.” Hope said, walking over to him. She kneeled before him, taking his foot in her hands. Noah looked at her with a confused expression, like he was unsure of doing this in front of other people.

“Come on Noah, get those piggies out!” Noah reluctantly agreed, frowning at Bobby as he relaxed in Hope’s grip. She began to work her foot, massaging him hard and deep. Noah sighed, finally enjoying Hope’s attention.

“This is officially the weirdest holiday I’ve ever been on.” Gary said. Hope finished and took her place beside Noah, holding his hand. Noah smiled at her and brought her close, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

“Who goes next?” Marisol asked Hope, pushing her glasses further up on her face.

“Hmm...” Hope looked around at the other islanders, thinking carefully about her choice. “Mina seems like she’s up for some fun. She can go next.”

“Truth or dare, Mina?” Rocco asked. He lowered his green eyes at her, giving her a flirtatious look. Mina smiled courteously but chose to ignore the flirting. She wasn’t interested, and she doubt she ever would be. “Be spontaneous – choose dare!”

“I don’t know,” Ibrahim said, “I think the truth option is really brave.” Lottie rolled her eyes at his comment.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 2: Truth or Dare?**

“Look at you boys, “She said, scowling. “Deciding Mina’s choice for her. You’re all so very thoughtful. You make your own choice, Mina.” Lottie placed a hand on her arm encouragingly. Mina smiled at her, thanking her for sticking up for her. Mina hovered her hand over the truth pile, but ultimately chose a Dare card.

“Yes, Mina!” Bobby yelled excitedly, scaring Hannah. “Go big or go home!” He whooped, cheering her on. Mina blushed, laughing awkwardly.

“Okay, the dare is... “Hope started reading her card. Mina frowned at her; she was perfectly capable of reading her own card. Mina felt like she was crossing a line here but again, she didn’t say anything. _“’Take a selfie and text it to the hottest islander.’”_

“Well, thank God it’s not as bad as the feet one.” Hannah muttered.

Mina took her phone out, looking at herself in the camera. Her makeup was still in place, her hair was as curly and as big as ever. She snapped a few selfies, choosing the best one. It was a nice selfie – the lighting was great; she was smiling, and she looked like she was having fun. She opened her contact list, pursing her lips. It was strange to only have the other islanders in her phone, but it was one of the rules of the game – each person got their own phone with only the other islanders as contacts. The only other thing on the phone was Instagram.

Mina went to send the picture to Bobby, but hesitated. His name was right below Noah’s. She couldn’t deny that she found Noah far more attractive than Bobby so far – but if she did send it, it would be like a slap in the face for Bobby. She sent her picture, putting her phone down. Both Bobby and Noah’s phones beeped.

“I think they’re both fit.” Mina offered. Everybody was staring at her in confusion. She knew she was bending the rules, but it was the only way she could be honest as well as not pieing off her partner within the first day of the game. Noah raised his eyebrows and looked over at her when he saw the picture, giving her a heartfelt smile. Mina smiled back. It was a silent exchange, no words needed to be said.  
  
“Lass, you’re looking gorgeous in this photo.” Bobby said, mock fanning himself. “Is the sun getting hotter, or is it just me?” People laughed, and Bobby seemed appreciative that she sent him the photo. It all worked out according to plan. Even Hope said she couldn’t blame Mina – she maintained that Noah was arguably the most attractive man in the villa.

“So, it’s Mina’s turn to choose, “Hannah said, “Who’s next?

“Why don’t you choose one of the boys, Mina?” Hope suggested, before quickly adding, “but don’t choose Noah. We want all the boys to get involved, _right?” _Hope glared at her scathingly. Mina offered her a casual shrug, not bothered by it. It was her own insecurity’s on display, not Mina’s.

“Okay then, “She said, standing up. “I choose...” She made eye contact with Bobby, who smiled at her and gave her two thumbs up. “Bobby.”

“Oh man, I don’t know if I’m ready for one of these sexy dares yet.” He said, getting to his feet. “I feel like sucking on somebody’s toes is a big commitment.”

“Mate, nobody has mentioned toe-sucking beyond you.” Gary laughed.

“Well, anyway, I choose ‘truth’.” He urged Mina to pick up the card, which she obliged. She flipped it over, raising her eyebrows.  
  



	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 2: Truth or Dare?**

“It says... _‘What was your most embarrassing sexual experience’_?”

“Uh...” Bobby faltered, rubbing the back of his head. “I don’t know if I want to get into that yet.” He bit his lip, thinking on it. “But there was this one time when I was going to bake a cake for this girl...”

“Great start.” Gary chimed in, hanging on the edge of his seat. Everybody seemed to be interested in the question, it wasn’t just Gary.

“And I thought it would be sexy if I shaped the cake ‘in my image’, if you get me?”

“Amazing.” Gary nodded, already trying to hold back laughter. _A knob cake? Really? _Mina looked down, stifling her laugh.

“Turns out, I don’t really have a clue to what sexy is.” Bobby shrugged with an embarrassed expression. “She was… not impressed. And I think that’s all I’m going to say about that.” He bowed, and everybody clapped in response. “I don’t want to completely scare Mina off on the first day. That’s for a few weeks from now.” He winked at her and sat down.

“So, Bobby, “Hope pressed, “who’s next?” Bobby scanned the group, chin in his hand as he thought.  
  
“Marisol.”

“Okay, “Marisol got up, standing in the middle of everybody. “I choose ‘truth’.”

“Good choice, your question is…” Hope grabbed the card for Marisol without being asked. “_’Have you ever kissed someone of the same gender on a night out’_?”

“Yes, of course.” Marisol’s reply was instant. Everybody looked at her, some of the boys with more interest than others. “Oh, don’t be gross.” Marisol scolded them.

“For fun?” Hannah asked, genuinely curious.

“My friend Persia is always snogging everyone on the dance floor. Girls, lads…” Hope went off on a tangent about her friend. Mina scrunched her nose up at Hope. This conversation was about Marisol, and somehow it ended up being about Hope.

“Hope, I don’t think that’s what Marisol means.”  
  
“Mina’s right.” Marisol nodded at her in silent thanks. “I actually like to meet girls on a night out.”

“Oh!” Hannah exclaimed. “I get it! You’re bisexual, right?”

“Sorry, Marisol.” Hope looked ashamed as she spoke, lowering her head. “I didn’t mean to imply you’re like my friend Persia who just gets it on with anybody.” She looked in Mina’s direction, smiling at her. “Thanks for calling me out, Mina. I appreciate it.” That shocked Mina. She thought Hope would have been abrasive or angry, but she appreciated being reeled in.

“No worries.” Mina said.  
  
“Well, people do like to experiment on nights out.” Marisol nodded, “but I’m genuinely interested in men just as much as I am interested in women. I actually get nervous talking to girls for some reason.” Marisol looked embarrassed. Mina felt like seeing her this way was a rare sight – she always appeared to be so cool and put together.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 2: Truth or Dare?**

“So… the club is a place where you can talk with your lips?” Rocco winked at her, leaning back against the seat.

“We always talk with our lips, Rocco.” Lottie said, scowling at him. She obviously didn’t appreciate his flirtatious nature.

“Something like that.” Marisol said, giggling. She gave Rocco an appreciative look, which made Lottie scowl even more. That was amazingly bold, even Mina didn’t have the guts to outright flirt with Noah like that. Bobby was curling his lips in weird directions, trying to talk without using his lips.

“Try talking without your lips, “Bobby said, turning to look at Mina. He looked like a demented clown, smiling without lips and rolling his eyes. “It can’t be done!”

“It’s hard enough for me with only boys in my dating pool, I can’t imagine it with girls too.” Lottie said. “You’re like, amazing.”

“It’s nice to know somebody else gets nervous talking to girls like I do.” Bobby said, nodding knowingly.

“Well,” Marisol said, taking her seat, “men usually come to me so that makes things simpler. I could see myself in a long-term thing with another woman, however.” She looked around at the girls, examining them. “Am I the only one?”

“Maybe… “Mina said, leaning back. “Maybe for the right person. I mean love is love, regardless of gender.” Everyone suddenly turned to look at Mina with interest. She frowned at them all in response.  
  
“What? It’s true.” She got flustered, crossing her legs. “Anyway, Marisol, thanks for opening up to us.”  
  
“It was easy – I’m always pretty open. About this stuff anyway, I don’t try to hide it.” She smiled, looking directly at Mina. “I think it’s good to be open to discovering new things about yourself. It’s also important to let yourself be who you are as well.”

“I agree.” Rocco said, looking at Marisol. “You’re really sound, Marisol. I like that.” Lottie looked displeased by the whole conversation, but whatever thoughts she had she kept to herself for now.

“So, who’s next to go?” Ibrahim said, looking at Marisol. She looked over at Mina, lips quirking into a smile.

“I think Bobby should go next.”

“Didn’t he just go?” Hannah said, confused.

“Yeah he did.” Lottie said. “Funny that Hope didn’t have anything to say about it this time.” Mina raised her eyebrows in shock, covering her mouth. Lottie was certainly blunt about things that displeased her. Hope scowled at Lottie, but surprisingly didn’t say anything in retort.

“I’m up for it, “Bobby said, “I can go again. I choose dare.” Hope picked Bobby’s card for him, giving Lottie an irritated glance.

“Ooh, it’s a good one.” Hope said. She smiled and it caught Mina off guard – it reminded her of Jekyll and Hyde. An instant change in personality with no warning whatso ever. “_’Kiss the islander you fancy the most’_.” Bobby paced around, making a huge show of thinking about his choice. It was obvious he had his eyes on only one person, however.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 2: Truth or Dare?**

“I don’t even have to think about this one.” He announced, strolling over to Mina. He offered her a hand, pulling her to her feet when she took it. He ran his hands down her shoulders, gripping her arms gently. He gazed at her with intensity, leaning in slowly. Mina blushed, feeling everybody’s eyes on her. It was so much attention at once, it was easy to forget about the camera’s once things got started but having everybody looking at you as you were about to kiss someone was nerve wracking.

She hesitated, but only for a moment. She leaned in, feeling Bobby’s smile against her lips. She opened her mouth and pressed herself against him. Bobby was taken by surprise, but he caught himself. He pulled her harder against him, deepening the kiss. Mina gasped at the sudden intensity. She wasn’t expecting such passion from him. He was so easy-going and fun, but he had hidden depths she wasn’t aware of. She lifted herself up on her toes, snaking her arms around his neck. He was still so much taller than her that he still needed to bend.

The sound of everybody clapping brought them out of their trance. Bobby finally pulled away from her, looking flushed. Mina smiled and awkwardly detangled herself from him. She didn’t realise how carried away they’d truly gotten. She sat back down, her lips still tingling from the kiss. Hannah took both her hands and squealed in delight. Everybody seemed happy for her, except herself. She didn’t want her first true kiss to be so early and in a game such as Truth or Dare. She didn’t even know if she wanted her first kiss to be with Bobby. She wasn’t mad that it happened – but just disappointed.

“That was amazing.” Bobby whispered to her, taking his seat beside her. “I love that you went there.”

“Me?” Mina frowned at him, giving him an awkward laugh. “I think you went there first.”

“Maybe, but it takes two to tango.” He winked at her, leaning back. Mina flushed again, biting her lip. Things were not going the way she’d planned. She didn’t know if it was the Villa itself or the people inside it, but something was throwing a spanner into the works of her master plan. It was too soon for her to do anything and she’d already had her first kiss and a little ‘moment’ with both Bobby and Noah.

“Okay, moving on…” Hope said. She had a sour tone in her voice, almost as if she’d been annoyed at the whole scenario that happened in front of her. “Who should go next?”

“How about Hannah?” Bobby offered.

“Oh, uhm…” Hannah stumbled. Mina got lost in her thoughts as Hannah was taking her turn. She needed a new game plan. She turned her head, staring out at the lawn. At least she wasn’t getting attached – she liked the people in here, they seemed like good people, but she wouldn’t be sad if one of them left right now. That was a lie, she’d be sad if both Bobby and Noah left. Hannah and Lottie too.

“And then I was pulling hay out of my hair for the rest of the day.” Hannah finished.

“It’s like one of them books my nan buys in the charity shop, with the painted covers and all.” Gary scoffed, laughing.

“Well…” Hannah tapped her chin, “I prefer to call it my _Lady Chatterley’s Lover_ moment – but each to their own.” Mina nodded, pretending she’d listened to the entire exchange. Knowing Hannah had some sort of romantic scenario in a barn where she got hay in her hair wasn’t exactly surprising.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 2: Truth or Dare?**

“Lottie, I think you should go next!” Hannah beamed at Lottie, sitting beside her. “Let’s make sure all the girls are embarrassed fairly!” The game went on for a few more rounds. Lottie sucked on Noah’s ear, much to Hope’s dismay. Noah seemed like he didn’t like it, whether it was the action or the fact it was Lottie, Mina didn’t know. Noah’s biggest fear was apparently grasshoppers. Mina found that funny and laughed, to which Noah protested that it wasn’t funny – that grasshoppers were like spiders that can jump on you when you’re not looking. Hope told everybody that the place that turns her on most is the back of her thighs. It was painfully obvious she was hinting at Noah, but he didn’t seem that interested.

The game finished when they ran out of cards. Hannah was relieved, still not over the whole ‘toe-sucking’ thing Bobby suggested. Bobby wiggled his toes at her, which caused her to scream and run away across the lawn. He laughed so much that he was wheezing, clearly pleased with himself. Marisol expressed interest in Hannah’s supposed phobia. Hope dragged Noah away and everybody started to drift off in opposite directions.

“Mina, do you fancy a quick chat in a minute?” Gary said, hanging back. Mina frowned but nodded. She didn’t know why Gary would want to speak with her. Maybe he had a musical question for her or something. He motioned for her to follow him over to the day beds. Mina adjusted her bikini and sat down. Marisol and Hannah were by the pool, talking and dipping their feet in the water. Some of the boys were working out at the gym. The sunshine of the late afternoon shone on the pool water, making it sparkle. Gary flopped down beside her, sighing dramatically.

“So, what did you want to talk about?” Mina asked, leaning back.

“Just wanted to shoot my chance while I could.” Gary said, turning to her. He gave her a smile, showing off his large muscled body. “I’m a straight-forward kind of guy, so I’m just going to come out and say it. I thought there was something between us and I just wanted to know if I’m your type.”

Mina was shocked. Gary cracking was on to her. She hadn’t even looked in his direction the last few hours beyond some awkward glimpses in truth or dare. Mina scratched her head, trying to buy time. He was attractive, with his blonde hair and beard. He seemed nice, albeit it was obvious that he was here to play the field. It was the same case with Rocco, although Gary was nowhere near as bad as him.

“Well…” Mina began, sitting up. “I don’t really have a type. If we have a spark, we have a spark.” Mina shrugged, looking at Gary. He was leaning forward, listening intently to what she was saying. That surprised her just a little. He was a pretty solid person once you got past the ‘I’m a man’s man’ façade.

“I suppose it is strange to just have one type, when you think about it.” He mused. He closed the gap between them, their knees touching as they sat together. Mina didn’t move away, but she didn’t lean closer to him either.

“I appreciate you being straight forward with me.” Mina meant that. It wasn’t often that you found men who were straight forward like this who didn’t just want sex or a one-night stand. He could still be after that, she supposed.

“I’m always forward.” He said, taking her hand in his. He smiled at her, giving her a wink. “No games here. Trust me.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 2: Truth or Dare?**

“I guess we can just see how this goes.”

“Works for me. I’m happy to see how things progress.” Gary got up, stretching. Someone’s phone dinged loudly, interrupting them.

“Guys, I got a text!” Marisol yelled over at the poolside.

“I guess that means we’ve got to go, anyway.” Gary said, helping her up. He looked her over appreciatingly, which made Mina feel like a piece of meat. It wasn’t his fault – it was just strange to be seized up like land to be conquered in here. He flashed her another smile before jogging over to Marisol. Mina followed behind him, casually strolling over. She wasn’t in a rush. The other islanders made their way over, gathering around Marisol.

“_’Islanders, tonight there will be a welcome party. Please get ready to say hi to a very special guest’_!” Marisol read the text out loud, “_’#drinksonus, #droppingthebombshell’_.”

“A party?” Hope gasped, clapping her hands together excitedly. “How amazing!”

“Does that mean another girl is coming in here?” Lottie was obviously worried about even more competition. Mina couldn’t blame her; it was still early days. Anything could happen. All the other girls looked at each other with worried expressions, Mina was the only one who didn’t appear to be worried about the possibility of a new girl. She caught Noah looking at her, a small appreciative smile on his face. It looked like he was thankful that she was the only one keeping her cool.

“It could be another guy, you know.” He offered. It was true, it could be another guy. That would certainly be interesting.

“I can’t believe I was right!” Hannah was pleased with herself. “I knew they’d add another person, they always do.”

“Shouldn’t we get unpacking?” Mina looked back to the villa. The girls still hadn’t unpacked yet. All their bags should be in the Villa by now, and they were all sitting in the bedroom.

“We’re already unpacked.” Gary said, frowning. “You lot haven’t even claimed your wardrobes?”

“Mina is totally right.” Hope said, gathering up the rest of the girls. “We should unpack and get settled before the party starts – we don’t want to be fumbling around when we’re getting ready tonight.”

“You girls go unpack then; we’ll amuse ourselves. “Bobby said, wrapping an arm around Mina’s shoulder. He gave her a quick hug and a peck on the cheek before wandering off with the rest of the lads. She followed the other girls into the dressing room, dragging her bags into the room. It was so large that Mina felt a little overwhelmed. It was hard to believe that this entire space was just for them.

“I call this closet!” Hannah said, quickly dragging her bags over to one side. She chose one of the corner dressers, unzipping her bag. Mina decided to choose the left bottom corner, which was the farthest one away from the rest of the girls. She was glad nobody else decided to set up camp near her, it was nice to know she had a space away from everybody – regardless of how small it was.

The girls spent the next few hours unpacking. Mina organised her drawers and dressers by colour and occasion, her bikinis in the front and her evening and casual wear in the back. Her shoes were all heels beyond a select few flats. The closet was big enough that she could put her guitar in there if it was in its case on top of her shoes, that saved her storing it underneath her bed.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 2: Truth or Dare?**

The girls claimed their spots for their makeup, leaving Mina with the last one. Again, it was off to the side and secluded – if she was someone who cared about being involved in the group all the time she’d be hurt. Luckily for Mina, she preferred it this way. They were making idle chatter while they got their makeup spaces in order – Hannah, Lottie and Marisol making effort to involve Mina.

“I think we’re all done here.” Hope said, looking around at the girls’ dressing room. It was clean, everybody’s makeup was in their now designated spots and everybody’s empty bags were stored away. “Let’s go enjoy the time we have with the boys before the new islander arrives.” They all left; Mina lagging. She grabbed her guitar and brought it outside, sitting on one of the day beds. She was alone again; Bobby was God knows where and the other girls were hanging around the pool.

Mina played. She wasn’t playing any song, just strumming and enjoying the sound of the acoustic guitar. She paused, adjusting her position and thinking. She tapped on her guitar, smiling when she thought of the song she could play. She picked up her phone, scrolling through her music. She played a few songs before finally settling _on Something Just Like This _by Coldplay and The Chainsmokers. She listened to it a few times, figuring out what chords she needed to play for an acoustic version. It had good dynamics, relatively fast paced and the lyrics were simple enough.

_But she said, where'd you wanna go?_  
_ How much you wanna risk?_  
_ I'm not looking for somebody_  
_ With some superhuman gifts_  
_ Some superhero_  
_ Some fairy-tale bliss_  
_ Just something I can turn to_  
_ Somebody I can kiss_

Mina played, completely oblivious to everything around her. There was only the sound of her and her music. When she was done, she looked up with a satisfied smile and was greeted by the sight of Noah, surprisingly without hope.

“Wow.” He said, clapping slowly. “You’re amazing. I really mean that.” Mina grinned, sitting her guitar down carefully beside her. She patted the bed on the opposite side, beckoning Noah to sit beside her. He obliged, still towering over her despite them both sitting.

“Thanks.” Mina said. “I guess you got lucky by hearing me, I thought everybody else was busy and wouldn’t notice.”

“I was walking by and heard you. I thought somebody was playing music.” He blushed, coughing. “I mean... literally playing music. Like through a phone or speaker.”

“An odd compliment, but I’ll take it.” She teased, nudging him. “I thought you’d be with Hope right now.”  
  
“Yeah, well…” Noah mumbled, eyes shifting. “She went to get something to eat. I was going to find her and then I got distracted by your… music.” He looked over at her guitar with interest. “I’ve always wanted to learn to play, but I just never got the time.”

“I can teach you if you want.” Mina offered. “We’ve got nothing but time in here.” Any more conversation they were going to have was cut short by Hope yelling for Noah. He immediately got up, giving Mina an apologetic look over his shoulder as he hurriedly rushed to Hope. Mina sighed, picking up her guitar again. Getting to spend any time with him without his keeper would be hard.


End file.
